Cane River

I finished Cane River by Lalita Tademy a few days ago, but had no time to post. It was a fascinating book. It is a novel that is based in fact. The author is writing about her own ancestors. She has some facts from historical documents and stories handed down by generations. The rest, she fabricates based on what she believes, or knows, about her family. It was truly engaging and fascinating.

The story is centered around the women of an African American family. It begins in times of slavery and moves through times of freedom, but few rights. It is a story of struggle and triumph, but mostly of making the best of what you can and not giving up. It is about these women who knew that life could be better for the next generation, and they made it so through sacrifice and hard work. So much hard work.

There are illustrations of the historical documents, actual pictures and family trees throughout the book. Those add to the interest of the story. The fact that you are reading about real people and real events makes the story really come alive.

This story is an excellent reminder of the way things were in this country long ago, and the way they sometimes still are. It was a reminder to me of how horribly humans could treat each other, but also that not everyone is that way, or even was back then.

This book is definitely one worth reading. It is one that makes a mark on you and will not be forgotten.

Happy Reading!